Arisaka Rifle

The Arisaka family of bolt-action rifles, including the Type 30, Type 38, and Type 99, armed Japanese troops and others through two world wars and many other conflicts, from the Russo-Japanese War to the Pacific battles. This book features full-color artwork, archive photographs, and close-up photographs to tell the story of these rifles.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 80 pages
Publication date: 22 August 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The Arisaka family of bolt-action rifles played a significant role in arming Japanese troops and other forces during two world wars and numerous other conflicts, including the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05. Introduced in 1897, the Type 30 Arisaka was the first main model of this rifle and was issued in both long and short versions, with the latter being designed for cavalry and specialists. While the Type 30 was used by Imperial Japanese forces during the Russo-Japanese War, it was later refined into the Type 38, which remained in service until 1945.

However, the most notable Arisaka rifle of World War II was the Type 99. Lighter and more rugged than the US M1903 Springfield rifle, the Type 99 was produced in four main variants, including a sniping model and a take-down parachutists rifle. This rifle was designed to meet the specific needs of the Japanese military, which faced different challenges in different theaters of war.

Featuring full-color artwork, archive photographs, and close-up images, this book provides an absorbing account of the rifles that armed Imperial Japan's forces from the trenches of Mukden in 1905 to the beaches of Okinawa 40 years later. It sheds light on the development, deployment, and impact of these rifles on the course of the war, and offers a valuable insight into the weapons and tactics used by both sides during this pivotal period of history.

Weight: 258g
Dimension: 247 x 182 x 6 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472816122